I actually thought some of these might have been available in the UK (I could have sworn I saw them somewhere! Learn how to properly clean your pond here. Thanks again Chris you are a Star! If water quality is good, I dont think adding more fish will be a problem so long as you remember to test regularly to ensure the pond isnt becoming overstocked. Algae overgrowth. Cleaning more then twice per year can put undue pressure on the natural and beneficial bacteria needed to maintain a healthy ecosystem for fish and plant life. Whats Growing In My Small Garden Pond? Sorry for the slow reply! thank you in advance for your input! Turn on the water and flush the garden hose so any water in it is replaced with fresh. This step should be done on a regular basis, not only to keep your pond looking beautiful. Since the largest majority of sludge is on the pond liner, the easiest way to clean it out is with a basic pond net or a more heavy duty water vacuum. You can incorporate an aerator and filter to help oxygenate, circulate, and clean the water; the aforementioned submerged and marginal plants can be helpful; some chemical treatments, like gypsum, can help to essentially weigh down the particles if the issue is due to a mineral imbalance; checking for and removing any built-up sludge on the bottom of the pond; adding in beneficial bacteria to help break down organic waste; and performing a heavy water change or two (though this could certainly impact frogs and other wildlife). Could I ask what type of minnows youre looking at here? If you dont have any plants in the pond youll have to carry out far more maintenance to maintain good water quality and clarity without a filter. Product Description. Back to me: re pond vacuums do you know if Matala are available in the UK (nothing shows up on google)? Healthy oxygen levels definitely can keep a farm pond clean and prevent fish kills. Scavengers eat any and every bit of organic matter they can. Ultraviolet clarifiers, pond treatments, and gypsum are also useful for keeping the water clean and clear. We'll examine how to keep pond water clean without a filter. Keep your aquarium clean and healthy with Crystal Plex Algae Control. Even without a filter for a few months, I think your water quality would likely hold strong, and you may not even see a drop in water clarity until Spring when temperatures begin to rise and wildlife and fish become more active. Channel cats are cavity nesters, meaning they lay their eggs in crevices, hollows or debris, to protect them from swift currents. Whatever the technical reason is, it works great for treating pond algae! If you have more than 10" of fish for every 100 gallons of water, your pond is likely over-populated. You can also subscribe without commenting. 4. Hand scrubbing is best when you have just a few, easily removed rocks. Fountains, waterfalls, and bubblers are all agitators. Help! We only recommend this 1-2 times a year, with the best times being early spring and early autumn where debris starts to build again. Adding fish in smaller numbers, waiting a month or so, testing water quality and observing clarity, and then possibly adding more, might be the best way here to ensure a good balance is kept. For sites without access to electricity its often better to not include fish and instead opt for a wildlife pond, which will still look great by attracting frogs, newts, and a range of insects! Luckily, you don't have to remove the water to . The goldfish has now sadly died. If you dont like the idea of a regular filter in your pond, but still want to improve water quality and clarity, you could consider opting for a bog filter instead. The most natural place for sediment to accumulate is on the bottom of the pond. Alternatively, here are some other methods as well: https://pondinformer.com/how-to-get-rid-of-algae-pond/. Stocking guidelines may differ slightly per individual species. Invest In A Bottom Diffusion Aerator. Many pond plants help to oxygenate the water, which is great news for your fish and the general ecosystem. Dont worry, there is a simple way to naturally clear pond water without using toxic chemicals. Powerful aerators are even better, as they will keep the top ice free and directly oxygenate the water. The first thing to clean in a pond is any floating surface debris, as this will eventually sink and contribute to sludge at the bottom of the pond floor. However, my long-term concern here would be the potential for high pH swings in the absence of carbonates. THLLC. 2 bales per package. The large surface area of Flocor tubes makes it an ideal filter media. Flow will stop insects from laying eggs in the water, which would contribute to waste, and will also provide more oxygen for beneficial bacteria to break down waste. Each bale treats 1000-gallon. Could I switch the filter off between October & April if I add in bacteria when I re-start it? For plant choices, we recommend a mix of submerged species, floating species, and marginal varieties. Consider finding some of them a new home. It includes Siamese algae eater, common pleco, pond loach, grass carp, and Otocinclus catfish, to name a few. Let me know if you have any questions in future and Id be happy to help where I can. And should I treat the whole pond with it? Stuff the straw into a mesh bag, hay net, or fishnet tights. Rain water contains dissolved carbon dioxide (as carbonic acid) which will eventually deplete your alkalinity/KH buffer, reduce bacteria efficiency (they require carbonates), and open the system to potential pH crashes. However, due to the enclosed nature of ponds, and how easily waste substances can build, its very difficult to maintain good water quality as stock levels increase. Would love to know any answers to the 2 questions in earlier post about pond vacs too. I know you mentioned that you dont have electrical capabilities where the pond is located, but there are some battery operated pumps as well as heaters available that will help to keep the water continually mixed and at a livable temperature. Water quality is less of a concern in winter as fish produce less waste, they browse much less, and decomposition of organic material slows. Add The Right Plants. Affecting both the appearance of ponds but the quality of the water they contain. Using a Pond UV Steriliser for Clean Water. Also, do you know how big the pond will be exactly? If so, my guess is that your pond already has a huge quantity of biological filtration (natural bacteria) present throughout the whole system due to its size and maturity. Thanks for the comment! Excessive fish waste can cause an imbalance in pond water. However, if the pond is being fertilized constantly from the horses, these measures will not help. There are many reasons for this. Do you have many plants, either submerged or marginal? What species of fish are spawning? Keeping Fish in a Pond without a Filter System (Dos & Donts), Maintaining Clear Pond Water Without a Filter Box. For overwintering your fish, you should try to find a way to keep the water mixed up during the winter, so that it doesnt freeze. Although algae commonly occur naturally, even in a healthy pond, it's important to control the algae growth to avoid water quality issues and sludge buildup. Leaves, sticks, and other materials like dead plants, can quickly create a mess and make it difficult for you to see what's going on underwater. A pro tip is that a larger mesh basket gets the job done faster. Also Id be happy to help if you would like to report results at a later date! Add Colorant. Do you have an idea of the number of minnows I would need? Thanks for your comment. Regular maintenance includes testing water quality, supplementing with beneficial bacteria, cleaning excess sludge, and performing small water changes when needed. The main reason why you may have been recommended to leave your filter on in winter isnt so much for waste compounds, but for aeration and oxygen. Its nice to be able to watch my fish swimming around in the crystal clear pond water, feeding on worms and other bugs that fall into the pond. Be sure to closely follow the instructions on the product label, no matter what you decide to get! Whether you have a small decorative pond, a koi pond, a larger pond or even a small lake, aerating and/or agitating the water definitely help keep your pond clean. Could I ask, was the pond around a long time before you added the filter system? I dont have a lot of money but bought a second hand 160 x 160 fibreglass pond. Yes, the common goldfish would make a great choice for keeping them in backyard ponds. In-fact, for a wildlife pond without a filter, we'd say at least 60% of your pond should be populated by pond plants for maximum benefits. Let me know if you have any other questions. The existing pump is a Hailea. Provide Some Degree of Shade 4. Without a filter, pond water will need to be cleaned manually. We have plants in there and do pick out the leaves. Keeping pond water clear and algae-free isnt that difficult when you know how. The extra oxygen they provide improves the efficiency of beneficial bacteria so they can break down waste, and by removing excess nutrients water will be less cloudy overall. You could add supplements to speed this up, but I dont think its necessary in such a mature pond, but adding more never hurts either! Common Goldfish. Return the saved silt and any saved pond water. Many Thanks! Benefits:Controls algae growth, adds more oxygen content, and helps remove excess nutrients from water. Don't overfeed your fish. Ponds in cold climates may see fish survive longer without a pump, while ponds in warmer climates may experience the fish dying faster without a pump. As an added benefit, plants will also help attract wildlife, such as frogs, newts, and insects, which will help bring a natural pond to life in absence of fish. Hi, the water in my pond has turned brown. The first step to cleaning your pond is removing floating debris. I dont think I can be relied upon to remember to feed them regularly! This can be done by removing the drain plug from the bottom of the pond, or alternatively, you can use a pump to siphon out the water. Remove any plants to a shaded, moist area to prevent stress . The filter type: it is made by Kockney Koi who describe it as The KF18,000V is a high quality, free-standing, fibreglass, four bay, filter with integral vortex designed to improve your fishs environment. For lightly stocked ponds with small fish, theyre an interesting alternative to normal filtration that can help with water quality and provide a more natural feel to the pond. Tho I guess that if a smaller aerator is working in the deeper part of the pond where the fish will congregate anyway in the winter that that will suffice. Hello. Water quality Ive assumed its fine as the pond is very well established (a few rudd die every year but they breed there so some may die of old age); I have just ordered the NT Labs Multiple kit and will post the results over this coming weekend and will be hugely grateful for your reaction and view on whether I can turn the filter Off October-April, and if & when I need to add bacteria. Make sure your skimmer is big enough to handle the amount of debris in your pond. However, you can skim it out with a net like you mentioned as well! Understand the Most Common Causes of Water Clarity Issues. Im very glad to hear the site has been helpful to you! Bio-balls are also very good for collecting pond gunk. Plus, those chemicals might kill my fish and plants or, even worse, it could cause me to have to start over from scratch with my pond. Step 1: Remove the Debris. You have successfully joined our subscriber list. In your pond or lake, catfish won't reproduce . Required fields are marked *. Needless to say I was thrilled when I discovered that there is a home remedy for pond algae control. This is on top of a layer of approximately 2 cubic foot of flocor. Is your small garden pond looking like pea soup? My small pond is 90 gallons, and I added a 1/2 cup of H2O2 to the water. For example, if you have a excess nutrients in the water making it cloudy, a water change may help temporarily, but the water will eventually return cloudy unless the source of the nutrients is reduced (i.e., excess sludge). If the plants are perennial, you can simply trim them down to a few inches below the waters surface, this way they can overwinter more easily and should be able to simply resprout the following spring. But my pond has started to lose water so I have turned off the pump to investigate and I was wondering how long would it be safe without the pump and filtration system on., just to add to the problem Im going away for 3 days, any advice would be very helpful. We have an in-depth article on causes and solutions for turbid water here if youd like to read more about this: https://pondinformer.com/reduce-turbidity-in-pond-water/#:~:text=Common%20in%20new%20ponds%2C%20mineral%20turbidity%20may%20occur,can%20usually%20be%20attributed%20to%20a%20single%20cause. Enjoy crystal clear water and a thriving ecosystem in your aquarium today! If your water quality was good before adding the filter, and the filter is mostly just improving clarity now, I think turning it off for winter is perfectly fine. Ultimately, the best way to ensure the long-term health and survivability of the fish in a pond is to use a pump to provide consistent oxygenation and circulation. Very happy to hear the article was useful to you! Keeping the water moving is crucial to maintaining a pristine, clear pond. It may be more natural than a plastic filter box, but it still requires an electrical pump to move sufficient water through the main plant chamber for filtration to occur. 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